Iyer promises massive talent hunt as India eye rich medal haul in 2036 Olympics

New Delhi: With the country's ambitious target of winning 30-40 medals at the 2036 Olympics putting the spotlight on the need for a robust talent pipeline, Indian Olympic Association CEO Raghuram Iyer on Wednesday said a massive nationwide hunt will be undertaken to identify and nurture athletes from a young age.

Former Asian Games gold medallist Ronjan Sodhi recently sounded a note of caution, saying India was running short of time to identify potential medallists for the 2036 Games and needed to urgently address gaps in infrastructure, facilities and talent scouting.

"Absolutely, I think he (Ronjan Sodhi) is right. There will be a massive talent hunt across all districts of India, targeting the 5 to 15 years age category, because those are the people who will be competing in 2036. That process has already begun," Iyer told PTI here on Wednesday.


"The Sports Authority of India is actively working on this (formulating the plans) along with the National Sports Federations (NSFs). IOA will ensure the NSFs have the necessary support. There are various other aspects of developing an athlete, which is where the IOA's role comes into play," he added.

The IOA CEO, however, admitted that targetting 30 to 40 medals at the 2036 Olympics, for which India is preparing to bid, has placed tremendous pressure on the apex body of Indian sport.

"I think pressure has increased, definitely, but pressure is a privilege. I think we're all in a privileged position to have this pressure, and that pressure comes from India's massive aspiration.

"We're all fortunate to be living in this time when the entire sporting ecosystem is supported by the honourable PM and the honourable sports minister," he said.

He also pointed out that both the public and private sectors have come together to significantly support sports, particularly with the Olympics in mind.

"You would have just seen the capital inflow coming into sport, whether from the government or the private sector, has increased tremendously. Overall, there is a sense of positivity regarding the sports industry.

"As for the pressure you mention, as long as the ecosystem is there, and everyone views this positively, I think it's a great place to be," he noted.

Praising India's performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, which concluded earlier this month, Iyer said the showing gave the country reason to be optimistic and aspire for bigger achievements in future multi-sport events.

"It's been a heartening performance in boxing, weightlifting, athletics, para sports, judo etc. But right now we are not going to just sit on these laurels and we are really aspiring for much more in the years to come. Commonwealth happened last month, next month are the Asian Games, so our eyes are already set on that.

"We've celebrated the Commonwealth success, and right now it is time to look ahead. The Asian Games are coming up, then there is the Youth Olympics in November, and then, of course, the big one, which is the LA-28 (Los Angeles Olympics in 2028), so we're all in preparation for that."

Iyer, who has served as CEO of multiple IPL teams, said he was happy to see cricket included in the Asian Games and hoped India would win the gold medal.

"India is a firm favourite to win gold at the Asian Games and the Olympics, everywhere. Overall, I think I'm happy not only about cricket being a part of it but also about all the other sports picking up, and India punching above its weight in some of those other sports. That is what is really delightful."